Fiacaill Ridge to Cairn Lochan and Cairn Gorm

Summary

Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda - often known simply as the Fiacaill Ridge - offers the most interesting way up to the Cairn Gorm / Ben Macdui plateau for those who enjoy scrambling. The route is a Grade 1/2 scramble if the crest is taken, but any difficulties can be avoided on the right. The ridge can be used as the start of many different mountain days - including heading to Ben Macdui - but the route described here visits the nearby top of Cairn Lochan before returning over Cairn Gorm.

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Grade

Bog Factor

4.5/5

Rating

Terrain

Rough boulderfields up to Fiacaill Ridge, then rocky scrambling. Scrambling involves some hard moves if sticking to the ridgeline, but in summer difficulties can be avoided on the right. The route on the plateau is extremely exposed to bad weather conditions.

Getting there

Start

Cairngorm Mountain car park (charge).

Public Transport

Bus to Cairngorm ski centre from Aviemore.

Start Grid Ref

NH989059

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 10.25km / 6.25 miles
Time: 5 - 6 hours
Ascent: 775m (Profile)

Summits Climbed

Munro: Cairn Gorm

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Walk Description

User reports (3)

Stage 1

The walk begins from the large Cairngorm Mountain car park (parking charge). Pass to the left of the 'snow factory' (which looks like two stacked corrugated metal storage units), then take the path to the right of the hut, then left at the next junction. The path heads up some steps and bends right across the moor (another path joins from the left). At the next fork (450m from the start), keep to the lower, right hand path - the other path heads up into Coire an t-Sneachda. The path soon crosses the Allt Coire an t-Sneachda with the help of stepping stones. Very shortly after this, take the made path that forks off left.

Stage 2

After another 400m or so fork left again, now following a narrower path aiming towards the lower slopes of Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda. The ground becomes steadily stonier, and eventually the path becomes lost in the extensive boulderfields.

Stage 3

A high point is reached suddenly, and then the narrowing ridge that connects to the main Cairn Gorm plateau is seen ahead, terminating in a steep buttress. The ridge provides fairly easy going over granite boulders at first; it then drops to a slight bealach involving very simple scrambling down an easy-angled gully.

Stage 4

On the far side of this the ridge climbs dramatically and the scrambling begins in earnest. The first part can be climbed fairly direct in several different ways, or mostly avoided on the right. After a slight gap, the second part of the ascent again has harder lines near the crest (the drop on the left side is quite airy!), or a more straightforward route up a simple staircase of a rocky path just to the right.

Stage 5

Avoid the level path that keeps below the buttress to the right as it leads to looser ground. The scramble is much shorter than you might expect, and the flat ground of the plateau above is reached quite suddenly.

Stage 6

Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda is really a ridge of Cairn Lochan, a Top which has one of the finest summits in the Cairngorms; it is only 400m away so it is worth following the plateau rim to the right to reach this. The two summits are close to the edge of the cliffs, and there's a deep gully between them - so be sure to avoid straying too close to the rim. After visiting, retrace your steps back to the top of the Fiacaill and then down to the 1111m bealach at the back of Coire Domhainn.

Stage 7

Do not be tempted to descent the Goat Track from here as it is prone to rockfall which has resulted in tragedy. Instead continue to the top of Stob Coire an t-Sneachda; the route continues in the same direction briefly before following the curve of the rim of the cliffs round to the left. The path bypasses the cairned top of the Fiacaill a' Choire Cas ridge on its right side; a ridge descending from here can be used for the descent, but to reach the summit of Cairngorm you need to continue eastwards up the broad stony slopes. At the summit there is a fine cairn, and the less inspiring weather station building with a small mast; this is a long way from feeling the wildest of the Munros. Nevertheless, the views are magnificent. A path leads northwards towards the Ptarmigan station building. The upper section is rough and lined by cairns; further on the path steepens but is pitched and has rope handrails on either side in summer to help limit erosion. The Ptarmigan restaurant is the top station of the funicular railway.

Stage 8

To continue the walk down, pass to the right of the Ptarmigan building and descend on a broad path signed as the 'Windy Ridge Path'. Keep right at a fork and head across a ski-run (between two snow fences), then keep left beside the second snow fence (ignoring a track straight ahead towards Coire na Ciste). The path is now obvious and the views to Loch Morlich, surrounded by the green carpet of Rothiemurchus Forest remain magnificent. Continue down the broad Sròn an Aonaich ridge; part way down follow the path as it bears left and descends more steeply to reach the track by the funicular just above the bottom station. Turn right on a path and then descend the steps above the centre of the car park.

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